Arundel
| area_total_km2 =12.13 |population=3475 |population_ref=(Civil Parish.2011)Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics Retrieved 21 November 2013 | os_grid_reference= TQ018070 | latitude= 50.85439 | longitude= -0.5539 | post_town= ARUNDEL | postcode_area= BN | postcode_district= BN18 | dial_code= 01903 | constituency_westminster= Arundel and South Downs | london_distance= NNE | shire_district=Arun | shire_county=West Sussex }} Arundel ( or ) is a market town and civil parish in a steep vale of the South Downs, West Sussex, England. It lies SSW of London, WNW of the English Channel town of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Larger nearby towns include Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. The much-conserved town with large green buffers has a medieval castle and Roman Catholic cathedral. Although smaller in population than most other parishes, Arundel has a museum and comes second behind much larger Chichester in its number of listed buildings in West Sussex. The River Arun runs through the eastern side of the town. Arundel was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. From 1836-1889 the town had its own Borough police force with a strength of three. Neville Poulsom, Mike Rumble and Keith Smith 'Sussex Police forces;a pictorial history from 1836 to 1986' (Middleton Press) (1987) ISBN 0 906520 436 In 1974 it became part of the Arun district, and now is a civil parish with a town council. Name The name was spelled Arundell. The modern spelling dates to the 18th century. The etymology of the name is usually derived from the name of River Arun, a British hydronym, combined with Anglo-Saxon dell. A popular etymology, reflected in the municipal coat of arms, connects the Norman French word for "swallow", aronde. Governance An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches north to Houghton with a total population as taken at the 2011 census of 4,298. Geography Arundel civil parish occupies an area somewhat larger than its built-up clusters, with the old town towards the north and the new to the south, separated by a main road. Arundel town is a major bridging point over the River Arun as it was the lowest road bridge until the opening of the Littlehampton swing bridge in 1908. Arundel Castle was built by the Normans to protect that vulnerable fairly wooded plain to the north of the valley through the South Downs. The town later grew up on the slope below the castle to the south.Arundel Castle, Schedule Ancient Monument and Grade I listed building The river was previously called the Tarrant and was renamed after the town by antiquarians in a back-formation. Arundel includes meadows to the south but is clustered north of the A27 road, which narrowly avoids the town centre by a short and congested single carriageway bypass. Plans for a more extensive, HQDC bypass were debated intensely between 1980 and 2010 and built a junction for it at Crossbush. Arundel railway station is on the Arun Valley Line. The Monarch's Way long-distance footpath passes through the town and crosses the river here, while just under five miles north and north-west of the town the route of the South Downs Way runs. The town itself lies outside the boundaries of the South Downs National Park. Society Arundel is home to Arundel Castle, seat of the Duke of Norfolk; and to Arundel Cathedral, seat of the (Catholic) Bishop of Arundel and Brighton. On 6 July 2004, Arundel was granted Fairtrade Town status.Fairtrade town status People born in Arundel are known locally as Mullets, due to the presence of mullet in the River Arun. Arundel is home to one of the oldest Scout Groups in the world. 1st Arundel (Earl of Arundel's Own) Scout Group was formed in 1908 only a few weeks after Scouting began. Based in an HQ in Green Lane Close, it has active sections of Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts. Sport and leisure Arundel has a non-League football club Arundel F.C. who play at Mill Road. The town also has its own cricket ground at the castle, often cited as being one of the country's most picturesque.Cricinfoengland It hosts Sussex County Cricket Club for a number of games each season. Notable people *Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel, part of the court of Queen Elizabeth I and a martyr for the Catholic faith. He was taken to the Tower of London with his dog in 1585 and died in 1595. His bones can be found in an altar at Arundel Cathedral. *George Constable, local brewer and amateur artist, whose work is now in the Tate. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/constable-landscape-with-cottage-and-figures-t03236 He was a friend of John Constable. *Successive Dukes of Norfolk and Earls Marshal of England *Derek Davis, potter and painter *Judy Geeson, actress *Cara Horgan, actress *Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon was born in nearby Littlehampton and lived at Arundel as a child. She is buried with her father and former town mayor Edward Howard Howard-Gibbon at Saint Nicholas Churchyard in Arundel *C.E.M. Joad, Philosopher and broadcaster, wrote many books at South Stoke Farm near Arundel *George MacDonald, pastor of Trinity Congregational Church, 1850 *Francis Meynell, publisher *John Cowper Powys, the novelist, moved to nearby Burpham in 1902. His son was born in the village and lived there with his mother whilst John Cowper Powys lectured in America."Descents of Memory - The Life of John Cowper Powys" - M Krissdottir pub Duckworth 2007 See also *Amberley Working Museum *Arundel Museum *Earls of Arundel *Fitzalan Chapel *List of places of worship in Arun *Portsmouth and Arundel Canal *South Marsh Mill, Arundel *An Arundel Tomb, a poem by Philip Larkin References External links *Town Council * Category:Market towns in West Sussex Category:Arun Category:Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom Category:Towns in West Sussex Category:Arundel